1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a system for locking a driveable sliding door according to the upper portion of patent claim 1, which comprises at least one moveable sliding panel and a swingable locking element, which locking element interlocks in its closed position with a first,end with a lock pin.
2. Background Information
Locking arrangements for sliding doors are necessary for the reason that doors of this type can be securely locked without an additional lock in their closed position, in order that they can not opened using force, for example, after office hours. Locking arrangements have become known that, however, all need to be actuated by a separate drive, be it an electromagnetic drive, or a motor. In order to operate electrically actuated locking arrangements, additional switches or sensors or indicators are necessary which can give a signal to a control arrangement disposed downstream that the sliding panels are in their closed position. Systems that are equipped in this manner are comparably very expensive and, furthermore, the actuated components are subjected to wear, and they are generating considerable noise.
Furthermore, the operation of an electrically operated locking arrangement is not assured in the absence of power because the door panels can be opened.
An electromagnetic locking arrangement which can be made operative by means of a relay is illustrated in the technical data sheets of the firm ELDOR-Txc3xcrautomatik GmbH. Such a locking arrangement assures that the two sliding panels of an electro-hydraulic drive unit for sliding doors are securely locked. The electro-mechanic drives that are illustrated in the data sheets for automatic sliding doors of the firm DORMA, ES55/60/70 also comprise electro-mechanic locking arrangements which are controlled by respective electronic controls.
These known locking arrangements for sliding doors have the drawback that costly components need to be provided and assembled, which require additional energy, and which cause noise.
The German Patent No. 44 15 708 C1 proposes, so as to alleviate the mentioned problems, a mechanical locking arrangement which is controlled by a drive belt for powering the individual sliding panels. This is done thereby that a driving piece is connected positively and non-positively to the revolving toothed drive belt, which driving piece is also connected to the carriage which needs to be moved by way of a guide element. In addition, a dog is provided at the driving piece, which dog interacts with a hook-shaped locking member. This dog moves over a release curve and, thus, lifts the rotatably journalled locking member from its locking position. The locking member is brought to its locking position by way of another member provided on the other end at the sliding panel that is driven in the opposite direction, such that on joining of the two door panels a locking of the panels is achieved thereby that by means of a run-in device of the driving piece, and thereby the upper portion of the drive belt is pushed downwards, which provides for movement of the locking member. A stop is provided between the two ends of the carriages, which stop is connected to the abutment, and which stop ensures that, despite the locked condition, the two door panels can not be moved out of the locked condition. When opening the sliding panels, the drive motor is started and pulls at the drive belt. Due to the configuration of the driving piece which comprises an angular recess in which is guided a follower pin, the drive belt is carrying out a quasi empty run and, thus, provides that the locking member is moved from its locking position. When the locking member has released the locking engagement with the second sliding panel, carrying along of the carriage can be done without difficulties. While this principle of solving operational problems according to German Patent No. 44 15 708 C1 is affording a well-functioning system, and it is simple in comparison to the earlier mentioned arrangements, it, nevertheless, requires a substantial amount of components.
It is the object of the invention, accordingly, to provide a further simplified and yet more economic locking system, without the need of costly components and assembly thereof, and which system can also be actuated by means of an auxiliary drive.
The invention provides in the type of system locking for a solution thereby that the second end of the swingable locking element can be brought to be in contact with the sliding panel, such that opening or closing of the locking element effects the displacement of the sliding panel into its opened or closed position.
Further features of the invention are contained in the dependent claims.
Due to the fact that the locking element imparts a transfer of the motions during opening and closing, without the use of additional components, to the sliding panel, there is achieved a very simple construction assembly which leads, aside from a lowering in cost, also to a rather simple assembly of and maintenance for the locking system and the sliding door in accordance with the invention. In addition, the locking system in accordance with the invention can be used as a kit to retrofit installations and to replace the hitherto known and expensive locking arrangements and, accordingly, can reduce the maintenance cost of such sliding doors with locking arrangement.
Preferably, the locking system and sliding door of the invention make use of a drive belt to drive the assembly which means that a hitherto known element is being utilized.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, there is connected a connecting part at the drive belt, and this connecting part interacts with the second end of the locking element in such a way that operation of the drive belt into the opening and closing position of the sliding panel effects a swinging movement of the locking element into its opening and closing position. Hereby it is ensured, without additional components, in a simple manner, that the locking element is positioned in the correct attitude, i.e., in opening and closing position, in conformity with the drive direction of the drive belt.
So as to achieve a direct transfer of the movement of the drive belt from the locking element to the sliding panel on one hand and, as well, to ensure the correct position of the locking element during the respective movement, there are provided two stops which are disposed at a distance from one another at the sliding panel, and these two stops interact with the second end of the locking element, in such a way that actuation of the drive belt is transferred, via the connecting part, to the second end of the locking element and thence to the two stops of the sliding panel.
In this respect it is of advantage that the locking element is configured as a substantially rectangular locking lever and that the vertex of the rectangular locking lever is rotatably journalled at the sliding panel. This provides for the utilization of a simple and economic locking lever which, on the other hand, can transmit, due to its lever arm proportions, even small forces in suitable manner.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, a guide lever is rotatably journalled at the sliding panel, and this guide lever interacts with a deflector, such that the locking element is positively brought into the closing position. This guide lever, in conjunction with a deflector, ensures that the locking element, even with large manufacturing and assembly tolerances being present, nevertheless, affords a positive interlocking of the locking element at the lock pin, i.e., no unintentional interaction occurs during the locking process between the two components, such that opening of the sliding panel is no longer possible.
In this embodiment the guide lever is preferably configured with a crank-type formation into which engages a pin of the locking element or, in other words, which affords an adequate guiding of the locking element, via the pin in the crank-type formation, during the closing and opening process.
As further preferred embodiment has been found the option to configure the guide lever with a-ramp bevel at its end directed towards the deflector.
Since the system for locking of a driveable sliding door needs to be available for escape and emergency doors, such systems need to be operable with manual operation in the event of a power outage, or an auxiliary drive needs to be present for functionality. In the above-mentioned reference this is not an available option because the movements of the sliding panel and the actuation of the locking arrangement are achieved by the motor-driven drive belt. In order to overcome this problem, the locking system in accordance with the present invention has an auxiliary drive. By means of this, the locking system in accordance with the invention can be operated either with a controllable clutch, or without a clutch and the auxiliary drive, and with an associated movement of the drive belt, to assume the open position, and the sliding panel can subsequently be moved into its open position.
In this context it has been found advantageous to configure the auxiliary drive as a spring or rubber rope which are biased to bring the sliding panel to its open position.
The above-discussed embodiments of the present invention will be described further hereinbelow. When the word xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d is used in this specification, the word xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d includes xe2x80x9cinventionsxe2x80x9d, that is the plural of xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d. By stating xe2x80x9cinventionxe2x80x9d, the Applicant does not in any way admit that the present application does not include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention, and maintains that this application may include more than one patentably and non-obviously distinct invention. The Applicant hereby asserts that the disclosure of this application may include more than one invention, and, in the event that there is more than one invention, that these inventions may be patentable and non-obvious one with respect to the other.